hello dear reader who happens to come across this post I have a dilemma I'm 17 I have been blade smiting for 4 years now are their any other options for acid etching Damascus here in south Africa ferric chloride is to expensive and I was hopping for more affordable option
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acid etching in Damascus
- Thread starter Hadews
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Welcome to the forum.
Ferric Chloride really does work the best, unfortunately.
You can experiment with different types of less-aggressive etching solvents, such as vinegar, mustard, or citric acids (orange/lemon/grapefruit juice).
Depending on the types of steel used in your damasacus, these may or may not work or give you the results you are looking for, and you will typically need to let the blades etch a lot longer with these weaker acids.
Ferric Chloride really does work the best, unfortunately.
You can experiment with different types of less-aggressive etching solvents, such as vinegar, mustard, or citric acids (orange/lemon/grapefruit juice).
Depending on the types of steel used in your damasacus, these may or may not work or give you the results you are looking for, and you will typically need to let the blades etch a lot longer with these weaker acids.
Thanks I used hand saw blades
braillediver
Gold Member
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I asked the Mods to move this to the Knife Makers Discussion Forum \ Shop Talk - BladeSmith Questions and Answers.
www.bladeforums.com
They should be able to help out. What did they use on Damascus in the good old days?
Shop Talk - BladeSmith Questions and Answers
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They should be able to help out. What did they use on Damascus in the good old days?
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Ferric Chloride is best. You don't have to buy it as a pre-mixed liquid. It is readily available as a dry powder or chunks.
Muriatic acid (HCl) is also usable it has to be diluted to around 2% to use as an etchant. It works better on stainless damascus.
You can easily get muriatic acid ( hardware stores, masonry suppliers, etc.). Using it you can make your own FC. Get a bag of steel wool and keep adding it to the muriatic acid until no more will dissolve. Pour off the liquid, leaving the sludge and undissolved steel behind. That is a stock solution of FC. There are other ways to do it, but this is the safest. The muriatic acid can be warmed to 150°F/65°C to speed up the process.
BE AWARE THAT MURIATIC ACID IS VERY CORROSIVE AND DANGEROUS IF NOT HANDLED CAREFULLY.
Here is how to mix FC powder to make a solution:
Approx. 1 pint of water to each pound of FC makes a stock concentrate.
In use it is diluted 2-4 parts water to each part concentrate.
For a gallon of concentrate, , I use 5# dry FC and a gallon of distilled water ( slightly less concentrated). Add the powder to the water slow, outdoors. It will get hot, and give off chlorine. Wear safety gear....especially a face shield.
For general etching, I mix one part concentrate with three parts water. I store it in the etching tank. The tank is a 18" length of 3" or 4" PVC, with a flange foot plate fitting on the bottom (solvent welded in place), and a pipe cap slipped on and off for a top. These parts are cheap at Home Depot/Lowes/etc. The base flange makes a steady stand. The cap seals snugly. The solution seems to store in the tank harmlessly. It sits outside in the smithy year round.
There are two small "V" notches on the opposite sides of the tank top lip. This is to set a piece of steel rod across to hang the blades from. Etching is much better if the blades are suspended in roughly the center, and not hung along the sides or resting on the bottom. I hang the blades on a long "S" hook made from 16 gague stainless wire.
For the best etch use a weaker solution. 5/1 (water to concentrate). Remove the blade often ,clean it off, return to tank for more etching. A slow long etch done this way is more even and deeper than a shorter etch in a stronger solution. When done, wash well with soap and water rinse then neutralize with ammonia water or TSP.
You can make several tanks for different concentrations, and in different sizes. I have a tall tank for etching swords.
Cost is almost nothing ,- a 18" tank costs about $10 to make, and lasts forever.
Refresh the old solution with a little concentrate as it gets exhausted.
Stacy
.
Muriatic acid (HCl) is also usable it has to be diluted to around 2% to use as an etchant. It works better on stainless damascus.
You can easily get muriatic acid ( hardware stores, masonry suppliers, etc.). Using it you can make your own FC. Get a bag of steel wool and keep adding it to the muriatic acid until no more will dissolve. Pour off the liquid, leaving the sludge and undissolved steel behind. That is a stock solution of FC. There are other ways to do it, but this is the safest. The muriatic acid can be warmed to 150°F/65°C to speed up the process.
BE AWARE THAT MURIATIC ACID IS VERY CORROSIVE AND DANGEROUS IF NOT HANDLED CAREFULLY.
Here is how to mix FC powder to make a solution:
Approx. 1 pint of water to each pound of FC makes a stock concentrate.
In use it is diluted 2-4 parts water to each part concentrate.
For a gallon of concentrate, , I use 5# dry FC and a gallon of distilled water ( slightly less concentrated). Add the powder to the water slow, outdoors. It will get hot, and give off chlorine. Wear safety gear....especially a face shield.
For general etching, I mix one part concentrate with three parts water. I store it in the etching tank. The tank is a 18" length of 3" or 4" PVC, with a flange foot plate fitting on the bottom (solvent welded in place), and a pipe cap slipped on and off for a top. These parts are cheap at Home Depot/Lowes/etc. The base flange makes a steady stand. The cap seals snugly. The solution seems to store in the tank harmlessly. It sits outside in the smithy year round.
There are two small "V" notches on the opposite sides of the tank top lip. This is to set a piece of steel rod across to hang the blades from. Etching is much better if the blades are suspended in roughly the center, and not hung along the sides or resting on the bottom. I hang the blades on a long "S" hook made from 16 gague stainless wire.
For the best etch use a weaker solution. 5/1 (water to concentrate). Remove the blade often ,clean it off, return to tank for more etching. A slow long etch done this way is more even and deeper than a shorter etch in a stronger solution. When done, wash well with soap and water rinse then neutralize with ammonia water or TSP.
You can make several tanks for different concentrations, and in different sizes. I have a tall tank for etching swords.
Cost is almost nothing ,- a 18" tank costs about $10 to make, and lasts forever.
Refresh the old solution with a little concentrate as it gets exhausted.
Stacy
.